Chair

ABSTRACT

A chair adapted to support a person so that his weight is distributed between his posterior and his knees. The chair includes a knee support and a seat support sloping generally downward toward the knee support. The sloping seat and the knee support co-operate to shift a portion of the person&#39;&#39;s weight onto the knee support so that the weight borne by the person&#39;&#39;s posterior is reduced, thus permitting use of the chair over an extended period of time without the person developing a pain in his posterior. An arcuate, lateral foot rest permits the person to place his feet in a number of comfortable positions.

United States Patent Vowles [4 1 June 13, 1972 [54] CHAIR 2,309,881 21943 Wise ..297/423x 2,530,785 11/1950 Rocca ...297/16X [72] Invent 106Dnvei 2,118,689 5/1938 Whedon etal ..297/367 Toronto, 17 Ontario, Canada[22] Filed: Nov. 3, 1970 [21] App]. No.: 86,408

[52] 11.8. CI ..297/429, 297/446 [5 l Int. Cl. ..A47c 7/50, A47c 7/00[58] Field of Search ..297/16, 17, 198, 354-357, 297/423, 427-431,437-439, 390, 461, 367; 248/121, 125

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,541,313 11/1970 Buzzi..297/195 2,154,606 4/1939 Covington. .....297/l95 1,065,022 6/1913 Bell..297/195 Primary E.\'aminer-Casmir A. Nunberg Attorney-Arne l. Fors,Frank I. Piper and James T. Wilbur [57] ABSTRACT A chair adapted tosupport a person so that his weight is distributed between his posteriorand his knees. The chair includes a knee support and a seat supportsloping generally downward toward the knee support. The sloping seat andthe knee support co-operate to shift a portion of the person's weightonto the knee support so that the weight borne by the person 'sposterior is reduced, thus permitting use of the chair over an extendedperiod of time without the person developing a pain in his posterior. Anarcuate, lateral foot rest permits the person to place his feet in anumber of comfortable positions.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures FATENTEDJUH 13 I972 3. 569 .493

sum 1 nr 3 INVENTOR. J. HARDING VOWLES BY' W Agent PATENTEDJUI! 13 I8723. 669,493

SHEET 2 OF 3 INVENTOR. J. HARDING VOWLES PATENTEDJUIZISISYZ 3.669.493

' SHEEI3DF a INVENTOR. J. HARDING VOW LES Agent CHAIR This inventionrelates to chairs and is particularly directed to a chair having meansby which a person seated thereon may distribute his weight between thechair seat and a knee support.

When a person is seated upon a conventional chair, the bulk of hisweight is borne by the seat of the chair. The chair may be provided witha back against which the person may lean but little, if any, weight isborne by the back of the chair. If a person is seated upon the chair foran extended period, his posterior may become quite painful. There is noprovision for reducing the weight acting downwardly on the person'sposterior.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a chairhaving means by which a person seated thereon may reduce the weightborne by his posterior.

It is another object to provide a chair having a seat and a knee supportso that the person seated thereon may distribute his weight between hisposterior and his knee.

It is another object to provide a chair having means by which thedistribution of the weight borne by the seat and knee support can bereadily adjusted.

It is a further object to provide a chair having means by which a personseated thereon may maintain a straight, vertically disposed body for anextended period of time without discomfort.

These and other objects may be accomplished by providing a chair adaptedto support a person and having a seat, and a knee support, said seat andsaid knee support being spaced apart to accommodate the persons legs,the seat sloping generally downward toward the knee support, the seatand knee support co-operating with each other when the persons posteriorrests on the seat and his knees rest on the knee support to shift aportion of the persons weight onto the knee support so that the weightborne by the persons posterior is reduced.

A fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to thefollowing description of three embodiments of the present inventiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the basic chair;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an adjustable version of the chair;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the chair shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a collapsible version of the chair;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the collapsible chair shown in FIG. 4when it is collapsed.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the descriptionof the drawings.

With reference to the drawings, the basic chair according to theinvention is indicated generally by reference to numeral 10. Chairincludes a frame comprising an upright 12, a spacer l4 and a base 16.Chair 10 further has a seat generally indicated by 18, a knee supportand a foot support 22.

When the chair is in use, upright 12 is inclined generally verticallyand seat 18 is secured to the upper end thereof. Base 16 is secured tothe lower end of the upright and extends generally horizontally from theupright.

Seat 18 is preferably the combination of a rectangular planar body and apad or cushion 26 secured to the upper surface of the planar body. Theseat is disposed generally obliquely to the horizontal commencing at arear edge and sloping generally downward, preferably at an angle ofabout 30 to the horizintal, toward knee support 20 and terminating atfront edge 34.

Spacer 14 is inclined generally vertically and has a side edge 24 whichmeets upright 12 and lies on a plane on the upright which is generallyequidistant from the side edges of the upright. The spacer extendslongitudinally of the upright along substantially its entire length orheight and laterally of the upright in a plane disposed generally normalto the plane containing the upright. The lower edge 28 of the spacer issecured to base 16 and lies on a plane on the base which is generallyequidistant from the side edges of the base.

Two foot supports are secured to the frame, one of which is indicated bythe numeral 22, the other of which is hidden by spacer 14. Foot support22 commences at the edge 30 of base 16 said edge being spacedhorizontally apart from a point spaced vertically below front edge 34 ofthe seat. The foot support slopes upward and by said point, continuesupwardly vertically below the seat, and terminates at upright 12.Preferably the supports are arcuate in shape having their centers at thesame points on support 20 as the points of contact of the knees of aperson seated on the chair The width of the foot supports are at leastabout as wide as knee support 20 and seat 18. Thus, the persons feetwill contact the foot support as he swings his legs from the positionillustrated to a position in which his heels contact upright 12.Therefore, when the person is seated upon ,the chair, the foot supportsprovide complete support for the person's feet no matter what positionhis feet may be at on the foot supports.

Knee support 20 is preferably a rectangular planar body to which a pador cushion 32 may be secured. The support is secured to the upper edgeof spacer l4 and is inclined at an oblique angle to the vertical.Preferably, the support is disposed at an angle of about 30 to thevertical and is spaced from the lower front edge 34 of seat 18 asuflicient distance to accommodate the legs of the user of the chair.

To use the chair, a person first straddles spacer 14 and lowers his bodyuntil his posterior contacts seat 18. The person places each foot on aseparate foot support and rests his knees and shins upon knee support20. The persons weight will be distributed between the seat and the kneesupport.

According to the person's position on the chair, more or less weightwill be borne bythe knee support. If the person's knees are notcontacting knee support 20, all his weight will be borne by the seat. Asa person moves his posterior toward the knee support, more weight willbe home by the knee support a and proportionately less by the seat. Asthe angle between the persons back and his legs above his kneesapproaches l, the knee support will bear most of the person's weight. Aperson seated upon the chair will find the chair considerably morecomfortable if he is able to change the position of his feetperiodically. Arcuate-shaped foot supports permit him to do so since hisfeet will contact the supports anywhere along their lengths provided theposition of his knees on knee support 20 remains somewhat the same.

The chair shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 permits adjustment of the seat attitudeand the distance from the lower front edge of the seat to the individualknee supports with a simultaneous change in the attitude of the kneesupports. This adjustable chair has a base comprising a pair of mainbase members an 101 and a pair of cross members 102 and 103 which extendlaterally beyond the main base members 100 and 101 for lateralstability. A pair of curved frame members 104 and 105,

bolted to the main base members 100 and 101, rise rearwardly to supportpivotally secured seat back 111 and the rearward ends of pivotallysecured seat frame members 108 and 109. The arcuate frame member 104bears similarly arcuate lateral foot support 114 which is relativelyelongated to support the person 's left foot in a variety of positionsand which includes a generally horizontal portion 112 at its upper end.Arcuate frame member also bears a similarly arcuate lateral foot support1 15 which also includes a generally horizontal portion at its upper end(not visible). Arcuate frame member 105 is also relatively elongated tosupport the person s right foot in a variety of positions.

Compound brace members 116 and 117 each consist of three portions. Theseportions are 116a, 116b, 116e, 117a, 1 17b and 1 17c respectively.

The arcuate frame members 104 and 105 are braced by brace members 1 16cand 1 17 secured to the rearrnost end of main base members 100 and 101in co-operation with brace members 1160, 116b, 117a and 117b and bracemembers 118 and 119 secured to the rearmost and foremost ends of mainbase members 100 and 101 respectively.

As already mentioned, the rearward end of seat frame members 108 and 109are pivotally secured to the upper end of curved frame members 104 and105 by pivots 106 and 107 shared with back 1 1 1. The forward endportions of seat frame members 108 and 109 are supported by the upperend of knee support frame members 122 and 123 pivotally secured at theirlower ends to main base members 100 and 101.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the lower end of knee support frame 122 and123 pass respectively through an elongated opening 121 in foot support114 and an elongated opening in foot support 115 hidden by main basemember 101. The forward end of seat framemember 108 and the upper end ofknee support frame member 122 contain slots 126 and 128 respectively.The attitudes of knee supports 130 and 131 and seat 110 may be locked inselected attitudes by a locking device comprising a threaded bolt 124passing through slots 126 and 128, the bolt being fastened with a wingnut (not shown). Similarly, seat frame member 109 and knee support framemember 123 are locked together by threaded bolts 125 and a wing nut (notshown), the bolt 125 passing through slots 127 and 129 respectively. Onthe upper end of knee support frame member 122 is secured a knee support130 on which is secured a pad or cushion 132. Knee support 131, securedto knee support frame member 123, bears a pad or cushion 133. Kneesupports 130 and 131 extend beyond the upper end of knee support framemembers 122 and 123 by the width of crossmember 134 which holds kneesupports 130 and 131 in the same plane. An additional cross-member 136which is generally U shaped, the arms of the U containing the outerfaces of knee support frame members 122 and 123 and the ends of the armsof the U" abutting the front side of knee supports 130 and 131, isfastened to the knee supports for added rigidity.

The seat frame members 108 and 109 together support seat generally 110comprising a rectangular planar body 135 and a pad or cushion 113secured to it. A seat position reference devise 138 is pivotally securedbetween brace members 116 and 1 17. The reference device 138 comprises agenerally vertical member 140 on which is mounted a multiple positioncatch 141 having stops 139 which the person engages with pin 142 mountedin the frame member 108 on the persons left hand to maintain the seat ina selected attitude when the locking device is released to permitadjusting the knee support alone. Member 140 pivots on pivot 143 whichextends between frame members 16 and 117. The seat position referencedevice engages with pin 142 to maintain seat 110 in a satisfactoryselected attitude during adjustment of the knee support to a newselected attitude.

The seat back 111, which is pivotally secured near its lower extremityto the upper end of curved frame members 104 and 105, comprises twogenerally upright members 144 and 145 and two cross-members 146 and 147which form a rigid unit.

The lower extremities of upright members 144 and 145 have notches 148separating teeth 149 which co-operate with pin 150 and a second pin (notshown) to lock back 111 in one of a number of attitudes. Upright members144 and 145 may be straight but are preferably shaped to conform to thegeneral contours of a persons back.

This chair is used in a manner very similar to that already describedfor the chair shown in FIG. 1, the person using the chair adjusting theattitudes of seat back 111, seat 110 and knee supports 130 and 131 tosuit his particular anatomical proportions and the job at hand. Theattitudes of seat 110 and knee supports 130 and 131 may be adjustedsimultaneously by loosening the wing nuts on bolts 124 and 125,adjusting seat 110 and knee supports 130 and 131 to a selected attitude,and re-tightening the wing nuts. If only the attitude of knee supports130 and 131 is to be changed, the attitude of seat 110 is fixed byengaging pin 142 with one of the stops 139 on seat position referencedevice 138. Then the attitude of knee supports 130 and 131 is'adjustedas desired. Careful adjustment enables the person using the chair tocomfortably place his feet over most of the length of foot supports 1 l4and 1 l5.

This chair may be modified by providing several positions for the seatframe member and knee support frame member to be pivotally secured to.This modification would permit wider variation in the positioning of theknee support and the seat thus permitting the people of widely varyinganatomical proportions to adjust the chair to their requirements.

In addition, the knee support frame members and the seat frame membersmay have separate locking mechanisms to permit adjusting the kneesupports and the seat separately.

Instead of the foot support being rigidly fastened to the frame, it maybe height-adjustable, and, if desired, curvature adjustable.

The collapsible version of the chair shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 has anA-frame comprising front legs 200 and 201, rear legs 202 and 203 andbracing means comprising a cord or rope 204. Front legs 200 and 201 andrear legs 202 and 203 are pivotally mounted to the bottom side ofrectangular planar body 206 on hinges 209, 210, 208 and 211 respectivelysuch that they pivot on a common axis. This arrangement permits foldingthe legs up against the seat so that the chair forms a relativelycompact unit when collapsed. Rear legs 202 and 203 are fastened togetherby upper cross-member 212 and lower cross-member 213, the lattercontaining a hole 214 through which passes cord or rope 204 which endsin knot 216. The other end of chord or rope 204 passes through hole 218in cross-member 220 which fastens front legs 200 and 201 together andends in a knot (not shown). Cord or rope 204 functions as an angularseparation limiting means to limit the angular separation offront legs200 and 201 from rear legs 202 and 203. If the chair is usedout-of-doors, the legs may sink into soft ground far enough that no cordor rope is necessary to keep them from slipping apart.

Rectangular planar body 206 and two pads or cushions 222 and 223 securedto it form seat 224. The pads or cushions 222 and 223 are spaced apartby approximately the width of knee support frame member 226 which isrigidly secured to rectangular planar body 206. On the forward end ofknee support frame member 226 is pivotally mounted hexagonal planar body228 to which are secured two pads or cushions 230 and 231 spaced apartby at least the width of knee support frame member 226. Hexagonal planarbody 228 and pads or. cushions 230 and 231 comprise the knee supportindicated generally as 232. The shape of hexagonal planar body 228 maybe considered to be a rectangle, the two lower corners of which havebeen removed to produce a lower horizontal edge long enough to fit intostops in the form of pairs of notches 234 on the front of legs 200 and201. The stops co-operate with the knee support to prevent it fromsliding on the frame, thus permitting the person to adjust the kneesupport selectively to a variety of positions.'When knee support 232 isin position with its lower edge fitted into a pair of notches 234, seat224 slopes generally downward towards knee support 232.

To use the collapsible chair, a person extends front legs-200 and 201and rear legs 202 and 203 until the cord or rope 204 is fully extended.Then the person raises knee support 232 by its upper edge and places itslower edge in one pair of notches 234. Then the person places hisposterior on seat 224 and ad '60 justs the position of his knees on kneesupport 232 for maximum comfort, adjusting the attitude of the kneesupport, if necessary. Since seat 224 slopes generally downward towardsknee support 232, a

stead of two front legs, one bifurcated leg with a broad foot may beused. Alternatively, two seat support members and portion of the persons weight is borne by' his posterior and a portion of his weight is borneby his knees.

The collapsible chair also lends itself to modifications. In-

Instead of the seat being fixed, it may be made adjustable by providinga second rectangular planar body pivotally secured near its front edgeto rectangular planar body 206 also near its front edge. A multipleposition height adjustment device provided near the rear edges of bothplanar bodies would permit fixing the height of the rear edge of theupper planar body, thus permitting variations in the seat attitude tosuit variations in the knee support attitude. The same result may beachieved by providing a plurality of points on the knee support wherethe knee support member may be pivotally secured.

It may be preferable to provide means for altering the height of theedge of the foot support of the basic and adjustable versions of thechair. Thus, the feet of the user of the chair will remain incomfortable contact with the foot support as his legs swing from asubstantially vertical position to a more horizontal position.

It will be understood, of course, that modifications can be made in theembodiments of the present invention as described hereinabove withoutdeparting from the scope and purview of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. A chair adapted to support a person, the chair having a seat, a kneesupport and a lateral arcuate foot support for supporting both feet ofthe person and having a width at least about as wide as said kneesupport and said seat, the seat commencing at a rear edge, slopinggenerally downwardly and terminating at a front edge spaced apart fromthe knee support, said foot support commencing at a point spacedhorizontally apart from a point spaced vertically below the front edgeof the seat thence extending upwardly and by said point and continuingupwardly vertically below the seat, the seat and knee and foot supportscooperating with one another so that when the person's posterior restson the seat and his knees rest on the knee support, the person may shifta portion of his weight unto the knee support so that the weight borneby the persons posterior is reduced and so that the person may freelyshift the position of both feet from a position vertically below theknee support to a position vertically below the seat.

2. A chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein the attitude of the seat isadjustable.

3. A chair as claimed in claim 1 in which the attitude of the kneesupport is adjustable. Y

4. A chair as claimed in claim 1 in which the knee support is pivotallysecured to a frame and the seat is pivotally secured to the frame,further including a locking device and a seat position reference device,the locking device co-operating with both the seat and the knee supportto lock the seat and the knee support in selected attitudes, the seatposition reference device co-operating with the seat to maintain theseat in a satisfactory selected attitude during adjustment of the kneesupport to a new selected attitude.

5. A chair as claimed in claim 1 further including a back having teeth,the back being pivotally secured to a frame and a removable pin insertedin the frame, the removable pin cooperating with the teeth on the backto lock the back in a selected attitude so that the person is able toadjust the attitude of the back when the removable pin is removed.

6. A chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein the chair has a collapsibleframe including front and rear legs pivotally secured to the seat on acommon axis to permit folding the legs up against the seat so that thechair forms a relatively compact unit when collapsed.

7. A chair as claimed in claim 1 in which the knee support is pivotallysecured to the frame, further including a plurality of stops on theframe, the stops co-operating with the knee support to prevent the kneesupport from sliding on the frame so that the person is able to adjustthe knee support selectively to a variety of positions.

8. A chair adapted to support a person, the chair comprising a frame, aseat pivotally secured to the frame, a knee support pivotally secured tothe frame, the seat sloping generally downward toward the knee support,a back pivotally secured near its lower extremity to the frame, the backhaving teeth at its lower extremity pivoting with it, a removable pminserted in the frame, the removable pin co-operating with the teeth onthe back to lock the back in a selected attitude, lateral arcuate footsupports rigidly secured to the frame, the foot supports beingrelatively elongated to support the person's feet in a variety ofpositions, a locking device comprising two threaded bolts with one nuteach, each bolt co-operating with both the seat and the knee support tolock each of the seat and the knee support in a selected attitude, aseat position reference device provided with stops, and a pin on theseat, the person engaging the stops with the pin on the seat to maintainthe seat in a selected attitude when the locking device is released sothat when a person sits on the chair with his posterior resting on theseat and his knees resting on the knee support, he is able to place hisfeet on the foot supports, lean on the back, adjust the attitude of theback when the removable pin is removed, and adjust the attitude of eachof the seat and knee support to alter the portion of his weight home byhis posterior when the locking device is released, adjustment of theknee support alone being made when the seat position reference device isengaged with the pin on the seat.

1. A chair adapted to support a person, the chair having a seat, a kneesupport and a lateral arcuate foot support for supporting both feet ofthe person and having a width at least about as wide as said kneesupport and said seat, the seat commencing at a rear edge, slopinggenerally downwardly and terminating at a front edge spaced apart fromthe knee support, said foot support commencing at a point spacedhorizontally apart from a point spaced vertically below the front edgeof the seat thence extending upwardly and by said point and continuingupwardly vertically below the seat, the seat and knee and foot supportscooperating with one another so that when the person''s posterior reStson the seat and his knees rest on the knee support, the person may shifta portion of his weight unto the knee support so that the weight borneby the person''s posterior is reduced and so that the person may freelyshift the position of both feet from a position vertically below theknee support to a position vertically below the seat.
 2. A chair asclaimed in claim 1 wherein the attitude of the seat is adjustable.
 3. Achair as claimed in claim 1 in which the attitude of the knee support isadjustable.
 4. A chair as claimed in claim 1 in which the knee supportis pivotally secured to a frame and the seat is pivotally secured to theframe, further including a locking device and a seat position referencedevice, the locking device co-operating with both the seat and the kneesupport to lock the seat and the knee support in selected attitudes, theseat position reference device co-operating with the seat to maintainthe seat in a satisfactory selected attitude during adjustment of theknee support to a new selected attitude.
 5. A chair as claimed in claim1 further including a back having teeth, the back being pivotallysecured to a frame and a removable pin inserted in the frame, theremovable pin co-operating with the teeth on the back to lock the backin a selected attitude so that the person is able to adjust the attitudeof the back when the removable pin is removed.
 6. A chair as claimed inclaim 1 wherein the chair has a collapsible frame including front andrear legs pivotally secured to the seat on a common axis to permitfolding the legs up against the seat so that the chair forms arelatively compact unit when collapsed.
 7. A chair as claimed in claim 1in which the knee support is pivotally secured to the frame, furtherincluding a plurality of stops on the frame, the stops co-operating withthe knee support to prevent the knee support from sliding on the frameso that the person is able to adjust the knee support selectively to avariety of positions.
 8. A chair adapted to support a person, the chaircomprising a frame, a seat pivotally secured to the frame, a kneesupport pivotally secured to the frame, the seat sloping generallydownward toward the knee support, a back pivotally secured near itslower extremity to the frame, the back having teeth at its lowerextremity pivoting with it, a removable pin inserted in the frame, theremovable pin co-operating with the teeth on the back to lock the backin a selected attitude, lateral arcuate foot supports rigidly secured tothe frame, the foot supports being relatively elongated to support theperson''s feet in a variety of positions, a locking device comprisingtwo threaded bolts with one nut each, each bolt co-operating with boththe seat and the knee support to lock each of the seat and the kneesupport in a selected attitude, a seat position reference deviceprovided with stops, and a pin on the seat, the person engaging thestops with the pin on the seat to maintain the seat in a selectedattitude when the locking device is released so that when a person sitson the chair with his posterior resting on the seat and his kneesresting on the knee support, he is able to place his feet on the footsupports, lean on the back, adjust the attitude of the back when theremovable pin is removed, and adjust the attitude of each of the seatand knee support to alter the portion of his weight borne by hisposterior when the locking device is released, adjustment of the kneesupport alone being made when the seat position reference device isengaged with the pin on the seat.